UPM Shotton celebrated 25 years of sustainable success

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(UPM, Shotton, 31 May 2010) – UPM's Shotton paper mill has marked 25 years of operation. In May 1985 the Shotton paper mill commenced operation. Since that date it has continuously developed its operations helping it win several awards including the Queen's Award: Sustainable Development in 2009.

Starting out as a single line newsprint mill using virgin fibre, the mill quickly gained a reputation for a high quality product and customer service. Further investment took place with a second paper machine added in 1989 with a conversion to 100% recycled fibre by 2003. This particular investment made UPM Shotton the UK's largest recycled newsprint mill capable of producing 500,000 tonnes of high quality newsprint for the UK and international newspaper publishing market.

In 2006, the mill started up a Biomass boiler combusting 200,000 of on site deinking residues and biomass from forest waste. The start up enabled the paper mill to reduce its CO2 emissions by a further 100,000 tonnes per year taking the total CO2 emission reduction to over 650,000 tonnes since the mill started up operations in 1985.

In January 2010, UPM announced a further investment to the site of GBP 17m to build a materials recovery facility which will sort up to 200,000 tonnes of comingled dry recyclables including plastic bottles, paper, cardboard and tins. The latest investment will create approximately 160 jobs. The facility is due to start up January 2011.

David Ingham, UPM Shotton's General Manager said: "Achieving 25 years of successful operations is a significant achievement considering the economic challenges of the past two decades. The fact we are able to celebrate our silver jubilee is testament to the long-term strategy of UPM, effective investments and the commitment of our employees".

"UPM Shotton is recognised as a beacon of sustainable manufacturing by the Welsh Assembly Government's Sustainability Committee. The latest investment is a fantastic start to the mill's next chapter", he added.

Notes to Editors:

UPM leads the integration of bio and forest industries into a new, sustainable and innovation-driven future. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. UPM consists of three Business Groups: Energy and pulp, Paper, and Engineered materials. The Group employs around 23,000 people and it has production facilities in 15 countries. In 2009, UPM's sales amounted to EUR 7.7 billion. UPM's shares are listed on the Helsinki stock exchange. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upmbiofore.com & www.upm-kymmene.com

UPM Shotton is part of the UPM, a global forest products business and Europe’s biggest recycler of newspapers and magazines. It recycles 700,000 tonnes a year – equivalent to 95,000 double decker buses. UPM Shotton is the largest newsprint mill in the UK, producing newsprint for the national and the regional press, with capacity to produce 500,000 tonnes a year. Following the investment of over £120million to create the world’s biggest single line recovered fibre pulping facility, UPM Shotton now creates newsprint from 100% recovered paper sources.